Manchester United

[Buzzo]

Aye hes good but he wouldn't plug the leak they have in centre mid.

They need a Roy Keane type player more than they need Mata. Can't see where Kagawa fits in if they get Mata either.

Moyes working out how to play Mata would be like my Dad with a new TV.

[john316]

Kagawa fits somewhere back in Germany. He has flopped as badly as Sahin did once he left Dortmund. Gotze isn't exactly tearing it up at Bayern so makes me suspicious of these players outside of the Dortmund/Klopp system.

[danperkins]

Aye hes good but he wouldn't plug the leak they have in centre mid.

They need a Roy Keane type player more than they need Mata. Can't see where Kagawa fits in if they get Mata either.

Moyes working out how to play Mata would be like my Dad with a new TV.

[Bender]

Looks like Zaha is on his way to Cardiff on loan

[Kenneth]

Kagawa fits somewhere back in Germany. He has flopped as badly as Sahin did once he left Dortmund. Gotze isn't exactly tearing it up at Bayern so makes me suspicious of these players outside of the Dortmund/Klopp system.

Interesting point.

[RichC]

My worry with this signing is not so much what Moyes will do with him but more the guy they bring in to replace Moyes, they'll get rid of him at some point and most likely they'll appoints someone competent.

A player like Mata in the side will certainly be a massive + for them then

[G]

I really can't fathom how none of Europe's top clubs aren't interested in Mata. How are these tests getting a free run at him. If it wasn't a world cup year I don't think he'd countenance going there.

[Fredo]

So what? We should concentrate on our own really. Get to **** Man. United.

[Bender]

So what? We should concentrate on our own really. Get to **** Man. United.

your very naughty today aren't you Nigel......it's a forum to express your views ...

[G]

If we are only concentrating on our own team then we should nuke this entire general football forum

I'd much rather we made an effort to sign the lad ourselves.

[Buzzo]

£35m UK pounds. As much as we paid for Carroll.

Manchester United have made a club-record bid in the region of £35m for Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata.

Mata, 25, has been linked with a move from Stamford Bridge having struggled to hold down a regular starting place under Jose Mourinho.
United deny making an official offer, but an initial bid has been tabled through intermediaries acting on behalf of the Premier League champions.
Mata did not train with Chelsea's first team on Wednesday.

Mata at Chelsea
2011-12: 54 appearances, 12 goals, Champions League winner, FA Cup winner

2012-13: 64 appearances, 20 goals, Europa League winner

2013-14: 17 appearances, 1 goal

(Stats are for all competitions)

On Tuesday, Chelsea insisted that Mata, who has been voted the club's player of the year two seasons in a row, was not for sale.
But the playmaker, who was part of the Spain squad that won the World Cup in 2010 and European Championship in 2012, has been substituted in nine of his 13 Premier League appearances for the Blues this season, prompting speculation other clubs could bid for him in the January transfer window.
The initial offer, which exceeds United's £30.75m fee for Dimitar Berbatov in 2008, is likely to be rejected with Chelsea holding out for as much money as possible with more than a week to go until the transfer window closes.
However, United have big plans to rebuild their team under David Moyes and are prepared to pay a premium for top players if it means securing them now rather than waiting until the summer.
Chelsea boss Mourinho, 50, said last week that while he understood it was "hard" for Mata to sit on the bench, the Spaniard still had a "big role" to play at the club.
The Portuguese has trusted Eden Hazard, Oscar and summer signing Willian in attacking roles this season and while his relationship with Mata is healthy, he has conceded Chelsea's system does not fit the player.
Play media

Mourinho on Mata's future (Football Focus)
"There are fantastic players, but sometimes the fantastic players are more fantastic to a certain system and less fantastic in a certain model of play," Mourinho told BBC Sport's Football Focus.
"He is an unbelievable player and a fantastic boy who is trying his best to adapt."
Chelsea paid £23.5m to sign Mata from Valencia in 2011. The former Real Madrid youth player had impressed during four seasons with the Spanish club and began life in England by scoring 13 goals in his debut season as Chelsea won the FA Cup and Champions League.
He followed it up with 20 goals in the 2012-13 season as Chelsea lifted the Europa League under Rafael Benitez but, since Mourinho returned for his second spell at the club, Mata has seen his playing time limited.
He was substituted 53 minutes into the Blues' 3-0 win at Southampton on New Year's Day, his last appearance, and was visibly frustrated when taking his place on the bench as Mourinho stood in his technical area.

[BobTheCharmer]

It would be just like Mourinho to sanction this just because Utd have still to play City, Arsenal & Us.

We all know what he can do, he's 25, at £40m in todays market, they are buying proven talent. He won't stop then conceding goals but he'll score & create enough himself. Just as I had let my guard down recently and written them off, this signing could be massive. Its madness. Surely the lad wants to go back to Spain.

[rodo]

£40 million bid according to sky`s ever reliable sources i.e the internet

[danperkins]

He's only one players and they have other issues but he improves their first team massively. Huge signing if they get him

[Fredo]

I'd much rather we made an effort to sign the lad ourselves.

Where would he fit? He'd be in at Coutinho's expense.

Another thing to consider as well. There must be a reason why Mourinho would be prepared to let him go. Think he's the kind of player that would require a whole system to be built around him. Won't happen at Chelsea because of the way Mourinho builds his teams around defensive ethos and wouldn't fit in ours because we have Suarez and Sturridge on which our team is built around.

He'd be more of an asset to United, all things considered.